Tesla use Model 3 parts to make ventilators

Ventilators are key pieces of equipment when caring for those affected with COVID-19. However, hospitals around the world have found these devices in short supply as the rate of infections increase daily.

Thankfully, a number of manufacturers outside the medical world have been focusing their efforts on trying to plug the shortage of ventilators. The latest company to offer their help in assisting in the fight against COVID-19 are EV giants Tesla.

In a video posted to its Youtube channel, Tesla engineers provided an update on the company’s progress in developing a ventilator from its New York Gigafactory that will soon be used in hospitals around the world.

The ventilators Tesla are designing rely heavily on parts used for the Model 3, meaning instead of having to first source parts and then construct them at the factory, Tesla can simply redeploy existing stocks at its factory and produce the ventilators quickly and easily.

As you can see in the video demonstration, Tesla are using the Model 3 infotainment system to drive the machine. The Tesla ventilator uses the center display touchscreen as a user interface for monitoring and the vehicle’s infotainment motherboard as the chief computing system, driving valves controlling the flow of gases into the ventilator.

A production date for the ventilators was not stated in the video, but vice president of vehicle engineering at Tesla, Lars Moravy, suggests it’s still in the early days of design and testing.

“There’s still a lot of work to do but we’re giving it our best effort to make sure we can help some people out there,” said Moravy.